sttom
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Posts posted by sttom
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In-state tuition fees are applicable to legal immigrants too as much as it is to U.S Citizens AND (now) illegals in CO!
The news about CO made headlines recently because they passed a law to allow illegal (politely called "undocumented") immigrants to be eligible for in-state tuition thus giving them a reason to sue for "discrimination"!
Check with your school/university on the requirements to prove her residency in the state. Typically, it requires one year of residency in a state to be eligible for the "discounted" in-state tuition fees..
My opinion: With the direction we are taking very soon we would/should have a section in VJ forums for "Path from illegal to legal"... describing in details starting from how to become illegal at first place to laying claims to legal status
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I am reading the guides and it says for the beneficiary to email the DS-3032 (choice of agent) designating the petitioner as the agent. Well what if beneficiary can't speak english? Also how would the NVC know what email is the beneficiary's? That wasn't located anywhere in the I-130 petition.
Well what if beneficiary can't speak english?
W.R.T the email, she doesn't have to speak
Just use the template, fill/replace the relevant info.W.R.T the consulate interview, she can ask for a translator.
Also how would the NVC know what email is the beneficiary's?
http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/How_to_bring_your_foreign_spouse_to_live_in_the_US
After your NVC Case Number has been assigned, speak to an operator. Give them your own e-mail address as well as your spouse's e-mail address.
EDIT: I am sorry but are you filing for K-1 or IR-1/CR-1? Your profile says K-1 but the question is in the IR-1/CR-1 forums, you mentioned I-130 and DS-3032
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Thank you sttom.. I have one more question though, does it also take 5weeks for SSA to verify the change of name or it's just the new card that takes 5weeks to process.. I'm just wondering if there's a way to know or number to call and ask SSA if they have verified my name? In that way I can just go ahead to DMV again and take the test..
The new card took about 5 weeks to arrive by mail. So I am not sure what portion of the 5 weeks was to get the card mailed.
But one thing i can think of is to sign in to http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ (As you might be aware or may have noticed SSA stopped sending paper statements a couple of years back and this is the way to keep track of your "contributions").
Depending on how tightly integrated this website is with what DMV uses to verify with SSA, this might help you with what you are looking for.
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Hey there,
So I'm hoping to get up to date with all my vaccinations now so that I have everything I need for when I go down to my medical. I'm a UK citizen and was wondering which vaccinations I'll need (different sites are telling me different things) and also how recent do they have to be? (I.e. Are they valid if received in the last 10 years or is that only certain ones? Are some vaccinations only needed once in a lifetime?) No idea! Lol!
Any help greatly appreciated!
Cat
This pdf should help http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/39181/pdfs/vaccinechart.pdf
and this http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/cons-visa/iv018a_medical.pdf
My wife went to the GP office and got Td/Tdap and MMR dose 1 before the medical. She had some documents listing vaccinations she had received as a child as well as the vaccination documents for the 2 she received at the GP.
At the medical, these documents were good for those mentioned. In addition, she was given a Flu shot (if i remember).
But if you don't do any of the ones said above, do not worry, Knightsbridge would administer the vaccines that are required by the Consulate but at a "premium" charge
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Does anyone here know how long does it take for SSA to verify a change of name from single to married? I had my name changed a couple of days ago and went to DMV this morning to obtain an instruction permit but they said my SS# with my new married name in it is not yet verified.. Called SSA when we got home and they said it will take 4weeks because they have to verify my Greencard to DHS..
Your response are highly appreciated, thank you!
Somewhat related, but one of my friends had a name change for a different reason. For the new name to be approved by SSA and to receive a new SS card after verification with the DHS or USCIS, it did take him about 5 weeks. And yes the wait seemed too long!
I would suggest applying for the DL after getting the new card in mail.
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Thank u sttom, yes i meant the AOS and the IV fee respectively. Ok, i will do just that, i just wanted to be sure it was okay to do so without receiving instructions from them regarding this next step.
Do not wait for the NVC to respond. Be proactive with NVC! Follow this guide to see what to expect next and be prepared - http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/EZGuideSpouse
To print the IV (DS-230) cover sheet to send with the packet, login to https://ceac.state.gov/CTRAC/Invoice/signon.aspx.
Click on "Select" next to the row for IV.
Scroll down to view a button to print the document coversheet for DS-230.
Send all supporting documents along with the cover sheet and filled DS-230 form.
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Hi VJ Family, i hope u all are doing fine. My husband and i submitted the AOS form and paid the Visa application fees two weeks back and still havent had any response from the NVC, pls my question is, is it appropriate to get the DS 230 form online and fill it out and also gather the civil documents without waiting for instructions from them becos their silence is practically driving us nuts, pls help, your responses will be appreciated.
When you say "paid the visa fees", does that mean the AOS fee (88$) or the IV fee (230$)? If you have paid the IV fees, you may print the respective cover letter for the IV packet and mail in with the supporting documents.
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goodafternoon to all
what does my husband need to apply for a Social security card. He hasnt received his green card yet does he really need it?
Thanks
Doesn't need the green card. Can be done with just his passport with the visa and the POE stamp in it.
EDIT: At the SSN office, they would enter the info in their system which (apparently) cross checks against the immigration database. Once approved he should get it within 2 weeks. Waiting for the "auto-SSN" (because a checkbox was checked on the DS-230 form) is a hit-and-miss and could take quite longer.
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Thank you very much!
I am wondering if you asked that question because you don't have it in hand right now?
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Do i have to send the 2 passports photo to NVC along with the packet or my wife can bring it during the interview?
Yes. Send 2 to the NVC, so the NVC can say "case completed".
Post-NVC, in our case (London Embassy), they had asked my wife to bring 2 (more) passport size photos to the interview, but the IO never asked for it. Guessing he used the 2 we had sent with DS-230.
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Well i dont have tax returns for three years as I started working in 2011 for first time so i have tax return for only that year. I wrote an explanation letter that tells them i have just started working. I am working and making above $40,000 rightnow but i didnt gave them my paystubs or anything but i have gave them to my wife incase they ask. All this apart i have a joint sponsor who is my sister who makes above 100k
You should/could have mentioned 40K as your current income, the supporting documents being your current employment letter and a few recent paystubs. Good that you have a joint sponsor, but i feel you would have qualified on your own.
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Hello all,
I called the NVC yesterday and they stated my case was closed on the 9th of November. Today I received an email stating that the case was closed however, additional information would be required by the applicant during the interview. I have a joint sponsor who missed a few things on the AOS. Are these documents required to be originals as well, or can they be copies? The letter states to fill out the form again, and there is a portion of the form that actually requires a signature that the joint sponsor omitted. I know with the NVC the original signature and forms were required, does this apply at the consulate level as well?
Please advice,
Thanks.
What are these "few things"/documents that are missing. Original or copy would depend on the document requested itself.
But without knowing these, I would say, you should take whatever you would have submitted if it were the NVC asking. Ultimately, the document submitted to the NVC are sent to the Consulate who have the final say on the application (normally).
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Thanks sttom.
Quick question. After sending the email version of DS-3032. When did you login into ceac website to pay fees?
https://ceac.state.gov/CTRAC/Invoice/signon.aspx
Did your spouse get email about DS-3032?
I used to login and check for the fees every day but the AOS fees was generated on the 4th working day from the day the NVC case number was generated. That was the same day my spouse got the official email from NVC with form DS-3032 attached. DO NOT email the DS-3032 again but wait till the one that you had sent earlier to be accepted.
I had noticed that the 2nd fees (IV fees) was generated after my spouse received the DS-3032 acceptance email. (Not sure if this is simply coincidental or if that is the process, but i had read somewhere
that that's the norm)Keep in mind that the actual number of days may be different for each case or depending on the workload, but I had compared to a few other VJ members during our time and it had been pretty much what we had expected it to be.
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From your timeline your interview is done, did they return your originals?
Don't worry.
You will get the originals back either during the interview or at the POE. Remind the beneficiary to inquire about it at the interview if the IO forgets to hand it over or intentionally does not return the originals.And no need for the documents to be certified if you have the originals, less by the "ministry of external affairs"! BTW - I have read about certified copies from the issuing authorities but where did "Ministry of external affairs" get in the picture?
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But it shouldnt be likely that I get denied for this right? We havent lied about anything and we have proof of a bonafide relationship.
I don't think you will be outright denied, as long as you have the supporting documents and (more than) enough evidence to support a bonafide marriage. You might have to jump through some hoops to rectify an honest mistake on your part. Or you might be lucky in "sneaking in" the date into the form DS-230 as mentioned in the "certificate of marriage".
One thing to note moving forward from here is: Although honesty is an absolute when it comes to immigration department, it doesn't really matter how it appears what happened, it matters what you can or cannot prove about the event, and with the level of ease. Things are much more straightforward here in the US when compared to other countries.
A marriage certificate means what it says it is: a certificate of marriage. If it were an engagement you would get a "certificate of engagement" (if there is anything like that in the country)
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Depending on who actually pays attention, this may be caught by the USCIS during I-130 processing and issue an RFE. If not by the USCIS, you may be able to put the right date on form DS-230. Are there any consequences of having a date in DS-230 different from the form I-130? That would again depend on if they pay attention.
Either way, I would advice you to get things corrected before the visa is issued. Once its in the system, and the visa issued, you might have a tough time correcting it since it wasn't an administrative error on their part. (You will end up with June 2012 as the date in the immigration system while a certificate that shows July 2009)
And also,if not corrected earlier, a not-so-easy time during the interview since one of the questions that is most likely to be asked is "When did you get married?"
These are just my thoughts on the situations that could possibly arise.
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Has anyone else ever had this issue? I've requested my tax transcripts both through the IRS website and using that 1-800 number that they provide, and in neither instance have I received anything (waiting 2+ months at this point). I moved in late April, so my current address is different from the one listed on my last tax return, but I updated my address with USPS and the IRS accepted my new address when I requested the transcripts. I'm concerned that they might have sent them to my last address anyway and my personal information is just floating around out there. Has anyone else ever dealt with this issue? Is there any way to actually talk to a human being over at the IRS? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
As the previous post says, the local IRS office can be of great help. Personally i feel much better getting it directly from the office than ordering via phone or mail for the same reasons that you are in.
It took me about 45 minutes of wait time, but they print the transcripts and hand it over to you right away.
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Is there an expiration date for when NVC will accept the PCC date. Example if my husband applies for his PCC now and gets it next month but NVC doesnt need it until February will they still accept it or does it need to be more.current? Sorry if my questions confusing.
Generally, PCC is valid for one year from the date of issue. I am not sure if there are some exceptions based on the beneficiary's consulate. Best place to confirm this would be under the immigrant visa section of the beneficiary's US consulate website.
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Hi guys, I have already sent my IV and AOS application to the NVC, I sent them on Wednesday, how many days should I wait to contact the NVC to have any new about my case and to see if my documents are complete? I just wanna get my husband interview I'm really desperate
:o 
:(Call the NVC on the 5th business day from the time they receive the packet to check on the status. It could be as little as 5 days to as much as 4 weeks.
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Hi Team,
My wife is going to have an Interview next month in Islamabad. I have created aroubd 50 questions for her to prepare with info taken from DS-230 like her name/ her parents info plus her educations etc plus all of that info regarding myself like where i work and all. I won't go into detail its all basic stuff that people have writted in this form. I have a few concerns that i would like to address and get your advice.
I have submitted all documents to NVC but did not submit wedding photos. I submitted about 5 wedding photos when i filled I-130 form (even though they never asked) but i didn't sent any pics to NVC because they never asked. Would it affect our case? I have created 100 pics album for my wife to take to interview that has our shaadi/valima pics plus some family gathering photos that we took after wedding.
Also we did not go for Honeymoon cuz i was there for short time (2 weeks) and right after my wedding it was my cousin's wedding
We don't have any reconrd of emails and facebook chats cuz where she lives they dont have internet connection all time plus they are (her family) very simple people they aren't really modernized or upto the technology. All i have is our phone records and the money transfer receipt as proof that we are still married and in an on going relationship. Is that good enough Phone record + Money transfer receipt (around 3 receipts)
Lastly, I have a joiint sponsor my sister. Do they ask questions regarding joint sponsor or no. I have seen that they sometimes require an I-864A completed by joint sponsor's spouse as well if they file taxes jointly (which i didn't submit cuz NVC never asked) but i have sent my wife a copy completed by joint sponsor's spouse just in case if they ask she will have it. Although they file taxes jointly, we are not using her husband income cuzz my sister makes enough alone to satify the requirement. Please let me know if you are aware of this issue.
I have also sent copies of all documents submitted to NVC to my wife incase they ask but she doesn't understand any of the documents. Do you think consular officer will ask for those documents again?
Lastly, from all of your experiences, what are some of the most frequently asked questions that the Consular officier asks almost all married candidates during interview.
Also if you happend to know of any good hotel or guest house in islamabad near US Embassy that is cheap (NOT 5 star) please let me know
Thanks
1/24/2012: I-130 packet Sent
2/5/2012: NOA 1
05/28/2012: Petition Approved
06/07/2012: Choice of agent sent
06/25/2012: Invoice 1 paid
06/28/2012: Affidavit of support with all document sent
7/02/2012: Invoice 2 paid
09/17/2012: DS-230 + police certificate + original marriage documents sent
9/24/2012: NVC Case Completed
9/30/2012: NVC Assigns Interview Date
10/31/2012: Meical Done
The need for pictures/albums, call records and other documents supporting an on-going relationship and the amount of it you would need at the interview is entirely dependent on the officer you get at the interview (and sometimes the beneficiary country in general).
You are fine with not sending pics for DS-230. The NVC completed the case as they found all the required documents that you had submitted, to be satisfactory
So having pictures + money transfer receipts + call records are good evidence of such an on-going + legit relationship for the Consulate interview. To the question of "Is that enough"? Unfortunately, no one can really tell you with a 100% level of surety. Its always better to have as much evidence as possible.
Going on a honeymoon is again not a requirement - It just strengthens your case (if the officer even bothers to ask you). At this point of time, I assume there's nothing much you can do about a honeymoon trip? So stop worrying!
Regarding your wife not understanding any of the copies of the supporting docs that you have sent: I would advice that she thoroughly know all documents (at least what they are) that she carries (again- IF asked!)
You can google up and find a lot of questions that could be asked but here are some of them that my wife was asked:
1) Name? (Of Course!)
2) When was the wedding?
3) How did you meet?
4) Where does your husband live? Where does he work? Is he at the same place now?
5) What do you do?
6) Have you ever been to the US?
7) Has your husband visited you after the wedding?
All straightforward "typical" questions for a CR-1 interview. We had 20-30 pages of call records, pictures from the wedding, our trips after the wedding, copies of all documents submitted all through the immigration process etc. Not one was asked for! Hence basically pointless for her to carry all that, but then we wouldn't know that till the interview is over, would we?
Someone else may be able to help you with the question on joint sponsor and hotels in Islamabad.
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I posted in another topic about the I129F that I applied for my fiance(now husband) basically my husband was denied a fiance visa without an interview so after.the denial we got.married. Today I finally found out that the reason for.our fiance visa denial was because we had a marriage certificate done while we were engaged. It is traditional for when muslims have long engagements they have a marriage certificate done while engaged but the marriage isnt actually official until there is a reception and the marriage is consumated. Which a letter was written by me explaining the marriage.certificate and uscis understood and approved me but.unfortunatly the consulate did not. My question is:
Does anyone think this will affect my current spousal visa?
I would believe that even in your country there is one and only one official govt body issued marriage certificate?
The reason i am asking this is: Is it possible, in your country, for one to say that "i am part-married"?
If there's only one "govt body issued marriage certificate" (no matter the first engagement followed by the marriage ceremony), when you submit the marriage certificate as the supporting document and they look at it as the primary evidence of your marital relationship and the date that the certificate says is when you were married in the eyes of USCIS. (For USCIS/NVC, a certificate issued by any other body/organization is just secondary supporting document).
Another way of looking at it would be, do you get another official document named "marriage certificate" with a different date after the ceremony/reception?
Keeping it simple: you said they rejected your I-129F petition in 2009 because of the "marriage certificate". In which case, they recognize your marriage and feel that you weren't eligible for a fiance visa in 2009. If the marriage was valid (to the USCIS) back then, its valid today too.
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Thank you for replying back. I have couple of follow up questions. Pardon me if these questions seem juvenile.
1) I am a little bit confused on the overall process. I read the guide here, and some timelines but still need some clarify. My I-130 just got approved and got the NOA2 in mail. I guess the next step is another letter from NVC that they have received my file, and will provide a case and contact number. But what is the next immediate step after that? From the timelines I gather that I will receive something called DS3032/I-864 Bill. Then I have to pay that, and then both me and my spouse will get separate packages of forms to fill out?! I will highly appreciate some clarification on steps after NVC letter.
2) What is the difference between I-864 and I-864EZ, and does USCIS tell us which one do I need to fill?
I will also appreciate some responses from people who have actually completed I-864, who can answer my original question of how should I count my spouse who is the beneficiary of this application, in terms of household size.
Thanks!!
http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/EZGuideSpouse
This is an EXCELLENT guide. This will answer you Q1
For Q2: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864ezinstr.pdf
You may use I-864EZ if ALL of the following conditions apply:
1) You are the petitioner
2) The relative you are sponsoring is the only person listed on I-130 (i.e. if your wife is the only beneficiary)
3) The income you are using to qualify is entirely based on your salary reported in W-2 (i.e. if you are an employee with W-2 and the income in it is enough for you to qualify as the lone sponsor for your relative)
To add, an I-864 is valid for someone who's eligible for 864EZ too.
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You are correct. Knightsbridge will send the results to the Embassy.
Thank you!
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Hi all,
Just to confirm if this is how it is for the US Consulate in London. The medical examination results are couriered to the Consulate by Knightsbridge themselves and we do not have to do carry any "sealed packet" on the day of the interview. Is this correct? (This is for a CR-1 application)
So says the link on the London Consulate website, but the NVC Operator (who may not know the details of each embassy) I called to verify if our documents have been sent to London by now, says the applicant is supposed to carry the medical results on the interview date.
Anyone who has been through the process recently, please do confirm
Thanks!!
Will this cause any issue?
in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures
Posted
That is correct.
Your marriage certificate/license (or any govt issued document that proves the date and place of your marriage) is an accepted proof.
Is there any place in any form that the date Jan 12th is mentioned? If not, Jan 27th is the official and as long as all of the dates in the forms submitted by him matches along with his "proof of marriage", he shouldn't face any issues.
This is typical in middle eastern countries too, with one date for traditional wedding and another for official. (As of recently - unless rules changed) The official date is chosen.